| Author | Message | ||
     ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5240 Registered: 9-2001  |
Listen up, don’t send your friends, relatives, and customers to neighboring communities for over night stays. Hey, who knows, they just may decide never to come back again!  Vote today at: www.localsource.com Being able to offer family and friends a choice of local Bed and Breakfast homes to stay at when visiting makes good sense. This weeks News Record offers its readers a chance to vote in favor of passing Maplewood’s new B&B Ordinance at their evening Township Committee meeting on July 5, 2006. Please consider the many advantages this could mean for local real estate companies and other businesses in our town. Please vote in support of this ordinance, and if possible also come out to the Township Committee meeting in two weeks. If you vote online now the results of the survey will be printed in next week’s newspaper. Best wishes and thank you... Art Christensen | ||
| Scully Citizen Username: Scully Post Number: 674 Registered: 8-2005 |
I voted. I have NO extra room for guests and really love the idea of having an extra room available locally. Art, I wish you good luck and hope you don't 'need' it. Scully | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5241 Registered: 9-2001 |
Thank you Scully, the July 5th Township Committee meeting is the culmination of hundreds of hours of meetings, discussions, and litigation over the past six years. I’m hoping its time has finally come... | ||
| Frederick Schmid Citizen Username: Carlfrederick Post Number: 69 Registered: 3-2006 |
Art, let me add my agreement. In all of the visits, I have made to Maplewood over the last few months, I have had to stay elsewhere. I would have actually been nice to headquarter myself at your B & B. I would have felt at home since I grew up close to your house. Frederick | ||
| veralynn Citizen Username: Veralynn Post Number: 3 Registered: 12-2005 |
I voted yes too! I see no rational reason not to have B&B's in our town! Good luck!!! | ||
| Joan Supporter Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 7616 Registered: 5-2001 |
I just voted "yes". Total was 16 votes "yes"; 6 votes "no". | ||
| Suzanne Ng Citizen Username: Suzanneng Post Number: 810 Registered: 3-2002 |
I can't see where to vote... wait, never mind, I clicked on the link ajc provided, but discovered I have to then click on the link for the News-Record. I voted too. http://www.localsource.com/news_-_record/front/?cal=essexcounty | ||
| pcs81632 Citizen Username: Pcs81632 Post Number: 48 Registered: 6-2002 |
I tried to vote YES and got a message that the page could not be displayed. I'll try again. When does the voting close? | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 5443 Registered: 1-2004  |
I can't find the poll!!! I thought this was already approved. I have four people who want to vote! Do you have to live in Maplewood to vote? | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 5444 Registered: 1-2004 |
Nevermind. I just found it. 21 YES 10 no. But it looks like you can only have one vote per computer. Also, how can this poll be used to help when anyone can vote? | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave  Post Number: 9970 Registered: 4-1997  |
It's bad polling software. If you clear your cookies you can keep voting however you like. I just voted once for and once against (being neutral as a SO resident). | ||
| HOMMELL Citizen Username: Hommell Post Number: 241 Registered: 11-2005 |
I believe the headline is: "B&Bs will be having staying power in town." Lovely grammar. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5242 Registered: 9-2001 |
I'm not sure when the voting closes, but the Editor told me they would print the results in next Thursday's newspaper... A fair guess is Tuesday will be the last day for voting. What I do know is given Dave's comment, this survey is not very scientific. I can only imagine the side who is best at getting their cookies off, or has the largest e-mail mailing list wins?  | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 9971 Registered: 4-1997 |
In that case, I'll send you ten more votes right now. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5243 Registered: 9-2001 |
...thanks Dave, it looks like I needed them! Damn all these computer wiz kids!  | ||
| Dave Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 9972 Registered: 4-1997 |
According to the script, the survey runs until 06/30/2006 5:00am GMT. | ||
| Monster© Supporter Username: Monster Post Number: 3751 Registered: 7-2002  |
BAH! Doesn't mean a dang thing until it's an official vote palbut I really couldn't see the reason to vote_______ ummm no, that's not it ummm yeah! FORyeah, that's it.... | ||
| Scully Citizen Username: Scully Post Number: 681 Registered: 8-2005 |
Monster, I can think of reasons for. How about a nice local (a lot more convenient than West Orange or a motel on 22) place for overflow guests? This goes doubly for residents of Winchester Gardens (across the street) who when they have out of town company have very limited options of where to 'put' them locally. Plus as I age I tend to want to 'buy local' more and more. Small over big box as it were. Just a thought. | ||
| Joan Supporter Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 7624 Registered: 5-2001 |
It's also a good idea to help support/stimulate the local economy by encouraging more small businesses. Given our limited acreage, this could be a win/win for everyone concerned. | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 5452 Registered: 1-2004 |
Scully Monster is for the B and B. He just confuses people easily...  | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 5453 Registered: 1-2004 |
YES (77 Votes, 61%) 50 loosers voted no(50 Votes, 39%) | ||
| pcs81632 Citizen Username: Pcs81632 Post Number: 54 Registered: 6-2002 |
OK, I voted YES. Good Luck! | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 5458 Registered: 1-2004 |
89 YES 53 no | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5245 Registered: 9-2001 |
Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 9:10 pm: 89 YES 53 no less than 30 minutes later..... 89 YES 132 NO ...Dave, it looks like someone really got their cookies off. Well so much for the News-Record ever running an online survey again.  | ||
| The Dub Citizen Username: Hill_16 Post Number: 23 Registered: 10-2005 |
best of luck Art - out of curiosity can you give me a brief summary of the ordinance that will be before the TC for adoption? I think it is about time something as useful, and convenient is finally allowed in Maplewood. If its not passed are you still going to drop off your guests at the Bagel Chateau for breakfast ..... Seriously good luck | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5246 Registered: 9-2001 |
...sure, why not read both ordinances. Actually, I'm not sure the latest changes are posted. However, you should be able to get the idea anyway... BTW, if the ordinance doesn't pass this time, I'll have to just tear the old house down and make application for five or six new two family homes on the property. What else can you do with a 166 year old, 10 bedroom house on an acre of property, surrounded by a bunch of jerks for neighbors? Listen, thanks anyway for the good wishes. Art | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5247 Registered: 9-2001 |
... sorry, I forgot to say you can find them on MOL home page at Local Links, Government, Official Town web site, Budget-Ordinances-Code, 2006 Ordinances, and ckeck out Ord. 2357.06 and 2358.06 ........... Good luck. | ||
| HOMMELL Citizen Username: Hommell Post Number: 244 Registered: 11-2005 |
AJC - Maybe you could rent it out to a fraternity. A year of that will make them beg for a B&B. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5248 Registered: 9-2001 |
And this mornings survey results are... ("S" must be home from his trip...) Should the bed and breakfasts be allowed to operate in Maplewood? YES (1316 Votes, 83%) NO (264 Votes, 17%) ....now that's more like it!!!! | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5249 Registered: 9-2001 |
...thanks, but we're already renting to one in South Orange. A  mistake. | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15199 Registered: 10-2001  |
I just came home. I am tired. Went to the Colorado Rockies - Texas Rangers game last night, met the Governor of Colorado, went to the airport and got a 2:10 am flight to JFK. And although I didn't vote in this poll, I do wholeheartedly support B&Bs in Maplewood. After all, if this thing goes through, I will reopen Les Condiments B&B By the Lake which was, as Arturo well knows, the #1 B&B in town. | ||
| sbenois Supporter Username: Sbenois Post Number: 15200 Registered: 10-2001 |
I just came home. I am tired. Went to the Colorado Rockies - Texas Rangers game last night, met the Governor of Colorado, went to the airport and got a 2:10 am flight to JFK. And although I didn't vote in this poll, I do wholeheartedly support B&Bs in Maplewood. After all, if this thing goes through, I will reopen Les Condiments B&B By the Lake which was, as Arturo well knows, the #1 B&B in town. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 8187 Registered: 5-2001  |
I read the ordinances. This is my (brief) understanding: Zoning requirements pretty much make it impossible for my next door neighboors, with the fairly typical 20 foot separation between houses and complete view of their back yard, to open a B&B. Good. All parking at a B&B will be hidden from everyone's view. Good. Signage is to be restricted so as to encourage simple elegance. There will be no flashing neon HoJo signs. Good. Only breakfast can be served to overnight guests and no alcohol can be provided. Good. The number of guests is restricted. Good. Outdoor events of any kind must be applied for ahead of time. Good. This leaves a loophole that an overnight guest could ask the B&B owners to make an application for an outdoor wedding and arrange their own music, flowers and caterers. All contracts, etc. would have to be signed by the guest. I see no language addressing amplified sound. This is not good. I think that this needs to be clarified. Theoretically, the B&B owner could host such an event, the neighbors could be upset and the next time the B&B owner applies, it could be denied. The B&B owner could then end up in court again, charging capricious enforcement. I think that the B&B owner should be allowed a set number of such events a year (2) and the rules for food, booze, etc. should hold. Amplified sound of any kind (DJ or bands with mics) should need permits and not be allowed later than 11p. The neighbors should have to be notified 60 days ahead of time. This way, the neighbors can plan accordingly and if the B&B party goes on too long or the neighbor decides to mow their lawn in the middle of the party, both sides should be at risk for some sort of fine or violation. The rule against B&B guests being allowed to use the pool. Weird. I think that I know the intent (outdoor noise) but it might be unreasonable. As long as it is guests only, I am not sure that I agree. I would have an issue with grandma & grandpa coming to town & having all 4 grandkids who are not overnight guests spending the day in the pool. Having that all summer long would be a real PIA if you are a neighbor. Perhaps there could be restricted hours for guests. Maybe there should be a restriction against children under the age of 16 using the pool. It would certainly cut down the noise and liability. OTOH, maybe the ordinance is meant to protect the Town from having to regulate and inspect the pool and to eliminate any liability in case of an accident. If the town issues a permit which allows a business to operate a swimming pool, at what risk does that put us (as tax payers who pay the lawyers, etc.) if there is an accident involving an overnight guest? I guess that I need more info on what the impact of allowing overnight guests in the pool would be to decide what I think about that particular rule. If a guest drowns, I sure as hell don't want to pay a settlement in which the town is found liable because the complaintant's lawyer convinces a jury that the town did not sufficiently inspect/regulate the pool. But, as the ordinance currently errs on the side of caution by disallowing pool use, I don't care as much. If the language around outdoor events were clarified, I would support this 100%. And, this is none of my business as it is not part of the ordinance, but I wish Art would stop calling his neighbors names. I know many. They are friends. They are good people who are rightly concerned about their quality of life and enjoyment of their homes. I can't help but wonder how much of this animosity would have been avoided if Art had acted more like a businessman trying to gain support by making allies of his neighbors. The old recipe using honey and flies has stood the test of time for a reason. | ||
| Wendy Supporter Username: Wendy Post Number: 2643 Registered: 5-2001 |
GREAT POST, GREENETREE!!!! In all respects. As an aside, I wonder why Mr. DeLuca is quoted in the N-R as going to vote against the B and B ordinance given these precautions. Perhaps it's the weddings, perhaps not. Perhaps I should ask Mr. DeLuca himself. Wendy Lauter | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5250 Registered: 9-2001 |
Thanks for your input Greenetree. I see you didn’t catch my comment that there have been published changes made to both ordinances. Please allow me to try and help you with your review of the ordinance: First, the Zoning requirements eliminate the majority of properties in town. Good. All parking at a B&B will be hidden from everyone's view. Good. Signage will be restricted so as to encourage simple elegance. Good. Only breakfast can be served to guests and no alcohol can be provided. Good. The number of B&Bs (4), rooms (4), and guests (8) is restricted. Good. The revised ordinance has no loopholes. There are no outside events permitted for overnight guests, period. Good. However, all innkeepers having “personal outdoor events” of 20 or more must apply to the Township Committee ahead of time. In my case, this means EVERY time I get my whole family together I have to get permission by applying to the Township Committee. Libby and I have seven children with partners and eight grandchildren. That totals 22 people, and makes the Christensen’s and any other innkeepers second-hand citizens… Is that also good Greene? BTW, we won’t be upsetting anyone’s neighbors, no amplified sound is ever allowed. I agree that the rule against guests using the pool is pretty weird. We also agree it’s about the noise, but there’s already an ordinance for noise. And, in my case my property is directly across from the community pool and we listen to the rest of the town having fun at the pool all day, all summer long… Also, on the insurance, the ordinance requires a two million dollar liability policy. Anyway, my experience as both a pool and B&B owner for many years is that most people who own a pool will more than likely use it for friends and family more than B&B guests ever would. FWIW, in the past I always had an open-door policy for my neighbors who had their own gated entrance to use my pool when they wanted. Those days are gone forever!!! Now that that’s over, I’ll get down to business Ms. Greenetree! You’re right; your public comments again about who I am, or who I am not is NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS…. So, being you feel free to tell me what you think of me, I’ll return the favor. I’ve always believed you can get a pretty good idea of a person by the friends they keep. I have always gone out of my way to make friends and to be a friend to everyone I meet. My neighbors were never an exception. I’m not talking about just a smile or a wave hello in passing, I mean much more, and my neighbors know exactly what I’m talking about. The fact that you know many of them and they are your friends certainly gives me a better insight into who you really are. Listen Greene, if these people you call your friends are the same people who over the past six years have refused to work out any kind of a neighborly compromise with me, who once when trying to have a conversation with them and hand them a letter told me they would call the police on me if I so much as stepped on their property, who blare their radios and run their lawn mowers after dark just to annoy me and my family and guests, who have made up bold face lies about me both on and off line, who have gone door to door soliciting money to continue to harassed me and my family and guests for years on end, then allow me to be totally authentic with you, you’re no longer any friend of mine. FWIW, quality of life issues are not just one sided affairs. Good neighbors don’t complain to the police and have secret meetings with Township Officials (DeLuca/Ryan) behind their neighbors back, like I was some low life terrorist. They would first speak with and at least try to negotiate a fair agreement. This never happened with the people you call your friends. How do you take the word of one friend against another unless the other was never a friend to begin with? I see it better now Greene, I was never your friend to begin with... One last thing, the enjoyment of our homes and property is really only possible when you have good, decent, polite, and pleasant neighbors… So, I too can't help but wonder how much of this animosity would have been avoided if my neighbors had acted more like decent human beings than the bad mouthing, obnoxious, hateful, nasty blowhards they really are? | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 8193 Registered: 5-2001 |
Ya know, I wasn't going to bother responding, but I will leave you with this thought, Art. I haven't "taken sides" nor done the old "your enemy is my enemy thing" since junior high school. OK, maybe high school. But, you have a good time with your relationship algorithm. It's kind of funny, tho. I see both sides of an issue and support the concept of a local business and this is the response? I can't begin to imagine the level of virtiol that would have been pulled out of some random orifice had I ever said anything negative about B&Bs. Huh. | ||
| The3ofUs Citizen Username: The3ofus Post Number: 29 Registered: 4-2006 |
Given the lengths people go to on MOL to malign, misinform or insult anonymously, I am at a loss to understand how ANY person doing business (or trying to do business) in this town could ever post the way AJC does and expect support. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5251 Registered: 9-2001 |
"I can't begin to imagine the level of virtiol that would have been pulled out of some random orifice had I ever said anything negative about B&Bs. Huh." ...not so Greene. You should know me well enough by now. I don't take well to anyone getting too personal with me. Your comments were not about the B&B! Screw the B&B crap. This is about your friends, your comments about how good they are, and as you know, your friends are not mine... And, "I can't help but wonder how much of this animosity would have been avoided if Art had acted more like a businessman trying to gain support by making allies of his neighbors.".... What the hell do you know about how I responded to those creeps? Where you also a part of their underhanded communications with the town without ever talking to me? I am a businessman before you were born, and a kick-••• one at that. You listen to your good friends Greene. Take their word for who acted how. My online replys have always been after some personal attack... Anything goes after that with me! Personally, "your enemy is my enemy thing" is exactly how I feel about it, and from your posting and the side you took, that's how I read it as well! BTW, I'm leaving for the airport in less than an hour so I really don't have anymore time for this... | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 5252 Registered: 9-2001 |
...FWIW, in case you missed it The3ofus, this ordinance is NOT about me no matter what other people say. This is about what's good for our town. If it was JUST about me why would I want to create my own competition? | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 5470 Registered: 1-2004 |
Granted Art was a little over the edge with his response; but unlike many of us, me included, he has posted under his real name. Most, if not all of us who have posted on MOL for more then a few months, know who he is in real life. I think Art is frustrated with the way he's been treated by certain people, and rightfully so. I don't claim to know the whole story, but I think a lot of this could have been avoided. I live near Orange Lawn where there are many, many parties with music. What about the Little Club in Maplewood, or the Country Club in Maplewood. Don't they have outdoor parties? How are they any different then Art, or any one of us having an outdoor party? There are even MOLers who have outdoor parties late into the night. |
